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Why is Mr. Polar Bear saying, “Pffffffffft!”? Could it be that Sen. McCain’s veep choice, in addition to being pro-NRA and rabidly anti-choice, is also opposed to the decision to put polar bears on the Endangered Species list? Ah, and Mr. Polar Bear also gives a raspberry for Gov. Palin’s support of drilling in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge(ANWR).
With such wacky political choices afoot, it’s time to urge Congress to permanently protect ANWR from drilling. The Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act (H.R. 39) does just that, with bipartisan sponsorship by Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-MN). Care2 has a petition here, to urge support for this bill. For more background, the Sierra Club also has a position paper on why Arctic drilling doesn’t make economic (or environmental) sense.
I’m still trying to figure out this VP choice. Bizarre.
Update 14 May 7:30 pm
The good news? After several years of pressure from environmentalists (and average citizens) and a court order to make a decision already, this afternoon the Bush Administration agreed to add the polar bear to the Endangered Species list, which means the bears will now be eligible for special protection. It’s not a slam dunk, since in the same breath Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said it would be “wholly inappropriate” to use this decision to address climate change issues. The Secretary also doesn’t believe this decision should have an impact on Arctic oil drilling.
Um, yeah. The reason Mr. Bear in the photo is sticking out his tongue at the Interior Dept. is that the polar bears are endangered because their icy climate is melting (climate change), and drilling will further shrink their habitat.
The New York Times has more. For now, a BIG congrats to everyone who helped keep the pressure on for the past several years. The Department of the Interior made this decision only grudgingly, in response to people just like us bothering the heck out of them.Enjoy this post? Click here for daily feeds. 
May 15th is the deadline for the Bush administration to add polar bears to the endangered species list. Join with the We Can Solve It campaign, part of the Alliance for Climate Protection, and sign a petition to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne. Tell the government the polar bear, and its fragile Arctic habitat, require protection. Mongabay has more on the case and why a federal judge has ordered the administration to take action by the 15th.
Today’s mitzvah: Help out polar bears with a quick online signature.
Enjoy this post? Click here for daily feeds.
I am declaring this Animal Week in honor of our friend Jazzy, who we’ll meet later on. Stay tuned!
Last Sunday, I wrote about an opportunity to “chill the drills” to help save polar bear habitat in Alaska. Unfortunately the current administration has fast-tracked the approval for gas and oil drilling leases in Alaska, yet postponed the decision that was due January 9 on whether or not to place polar bears on the Endangered Species List. (If the bears are declared an endangered species, drilling in their habitat would be restricted.)
Simple Sunday mitzvah: Click here to send a message (via the Natural Resource Defense Council’s web site) urging Congress to pass the Markey bill (H.R. 5058), which will reverse the go-ahead for the oil and gas lease sales until the Bush Administration makes its final decision about protecting polar bears under the Endangered Species Act.
Alaska’s polar bears are in danger due to global warming. The Sierra Club is concerned that their fate is made even more precarious by opening up the Chukchi Sea, the bears’ habitat, to drilling as early as next month. The Sierra Club has more information on their Polar Bear and Arctic Seas page.Today’s mitzvah: Sign the Sierra Club’s petition to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne asking him to “chill the drills” and take a time-out to find ways to protect the polar bears.
Why is Mr. Polar Bear saying, “Pffffffffft!”? Could it be that Sen. McCain’s veep choice, in addition to being pro-NRA and rabidly anti-choice, is also opposed to the decision to put polar bears on the Endangered Species list? Ah, and Mr. Polar Bear also gives a raspberry for Gov. Palin’s support of drilling in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge(ANWR).
